Natalie Watkins
Natalie Watkins was a trainee hairdresser working at Trim Up North. From the age of fifteen Natalie worked as a paper delivery girl during the week and on Saturdays would help her cousin sell stolen gear on his market stall. Eventually, Natalie began working for Nick and Elsa Tilsley as a waitress at Bergman's Bar and Grill. However, when Nick left Elsa in October 2018 and returned to Weatherfield - in order to reunite with his ex-wife Leanne Battersby - Natalie began to notice changes in the way the restaurant operated; complaining that the place had went "to the dogs" since Nick's departure. In December, Archie Shuttleworth passed away and left £80,000 to Nick's grandmother Audrey Roberts - with his finances in a mess, and owing money to Elsa, Nick saw this as an opportunity to "borrow" the money and contacted Natalie to be his accomplice. Having obtained Audrey's bank details from her notebook, Nick had Natalie withdraw the money from the account using various cash machines across Manchester - promising that she would be rewarded for her involvement in the scheme. The money had been withdrawn by the New Year - which coincided with the death of Audrey's devious partner Lewis Archer. Initially everybody believed that Lewis had stolen the money, except Audrey, as he had defrauded the family once before and had been up to his old tricks the previous year before reuniting with Audrey. However, when the police began investigating they were able to present Audrey with images of Natalie - revealing that she had withdrawn the money - and Audrey was relieved that Lewis' name had been cleared. Although, upon being reminded that Lewis was known to work with accomplices such as; Rosemary Piper, Audrey remembered that Lewis had known her bank details and finally accepted him as the culprit. After a couple of weeks, Natalie started to call Nick, demanding to speak to him, but he tried to put her off. She therefore came to Weatherfield herself, putting Nick into a panic when Leanne saw her but he span a yarn that she was his solicitor handling his divorce from Elsa and Natalie coolly went along with the deception. Nick hurried her away to Speed Daal where she presented her demand: £2,000 more or Elsa would find out he had had a sudden windfall, putting his divorce in jeopardy. He warned her that she was playing a very dangerous game but she further panicked him when she enquired of Yasmeen Nazir if she had any jobs going at the restaurant, making it quite clear to Nick that she would hang around and be close to his family if he didn't comply. Her arrival did present another problem: Nick's brother David Platt saw Natalie with Nick and had another viewing of CCTV footage the police had of her withdrawing the cash, recognising her from a distinctive tattoo on the back of her neck, and thus confirming his suspicions that Nick was the one behind the robbery. Natalie worked as a trainee hairdresser at Trim Up North, and flirted with many a male customer. She had a thing for David Platt, and even tried to kiss him once during her duration working there. David gave her an early lunch on her birthday were she got drunk and nearly spilt the secrets of the Platt Lads. She later dated a policeman who went to Trim Up North, as David followed her on a date to the Bistro, she told the policeman he was a stalker she had, but not to arrest him, and that he tried to kiss her. The policeman told David to back off of Watkins, as Shona walked in believed that the pair were flirting. Natalie appeared on a family holiday to some resort, as she told David that the police had been sniffing around the barbers after it happened in the first part of the days episode. She then returned to Weatherfield with police sniffing around the barbers still, and asking for Nick and David an episode later. Monday 10th of June saw David and Shonas search for Watkins intensify. Leanne texted Watkins off of Platts phone that she stole, and lied via text and said David and Shona had broke up. She returned in a streetcars taxi as Tracy told her its £10.00, Watkins told her it had said between £6-7, as Tracy replied that's without a tip. Watkins commented that's a pretty big tip, she refused to give it, until Tracy locked her in the cab until she gave £10.00. Leanne found her address and wanted her to lie about the events of David and Nicks feud, she refused to as she liked David that much that she would leave Shona and David be, and leave the kids to have their father, Battersby tried to pay her off. She refused to take it, as Battersby later took her to the airport, and 'crossed the line' for Nick, as she ensured that she took the plane abroad to some unknown country, and ensured that she went through the doors and actually left! Tracy asked Shona and David in The Rovers Return Inn, 'oi,oi Platt what's the name of that rough bird, that used to work for you.' As she had felt since Natalie's return via streetcars that she recognised her from somewhere. Davids response was 'you mean Natalie where did she go too?' Tracy refused to say until she was payed, upon being payed and David and Shonas arrival someone else answered the door and had said that Natalie had gone. David asked her 'gone, gone where.' The woman then told David that she didn't say. :The character appeared uncredited in Episode 9657 (2nd January 2019) in the CCTV footage that PC Clements showed to Audrey Roberts of a cash withdrawal taking place. List of appearances 2019 Category:Coronation Street characters Category:2019 minor characters Category:Trim Up North staff